“Wait!” a sharp cry drew everyone’s attention.

Meng Wuyan, the Vice Peak Master of Zilei Peak, stepped forward with his cloud avatar. A flicker of electricity, almost imperceptible, passed through his narrow, purple eyes.

With a smile on his lips, he said, “Gentlemen’s profound discussions are interconnected. However, there is one person who is actually far superior to Wen Ruanyu, Duanmu Zhang, Qin De, and Zhong Dao.”

“She is the most crucial figure in the entire affair of Baizhi Xiancheng.”

Tuoba Huang let out a hot breath through his nose, his brows furrowed. “Stop being coy; just tell us who it is!”

He was impatient.

Everyone’s gaze, sharp as needles, was fixed on Meng Wuyan’s face.

Though urged, Meng Wuyan maintained his rhythm, slowly opening his palm. Clouds surged, lifting several phantom objects:

An ancient jade slip, bound with a green thread. Its body was riddled with cracks, yet it emanated a faint, age-old glow.

A small, exquisite infant rattle, woven from the core of a xuesui vine. Its clapper was a tear-shaped stone, solidified with primordial pure qi.

And a tattered, yellowed page of a local gazette, its edges scorched and its writing blurred. The eight characters “Meng shi nü ying, Liuyun tuogu” (Meng family infant girl, Liuyun entrusts orphan) were stained like blood!

Tuoba Huang’s impatience grew, and just as he was about to scold, Meng Wuyan finally, word by word, spoke the name of this key figure: “This person is Meng Yao Yin.”

The entire hall fell silent.

Tuoba Huang愣le, then retorted, “Are you saying this Meng Yao Yin isn’t dead? Is she still alive?”

Meng Wuyan showed a look of sorrow, slowly shaking his head. His voice was low as he said, “Her natal cloud tablet has already disintegrated; she passed away long ago.”

“However, based on my research, I unexpectedly discovered that Meng Yao Yin was not merely a rogue cultivator.”

“Perhaps even she herself didn’t know, but she is actually a descendant of our Meng family’s lineage that was spread outside.”

“And these are irrefutable proofs!”

Meng Wuyan extended his palm, presenting the physical evidence he had just displayed to everyone.

Silence again fell over the hall.

But this time, it was not just silence; it was oppressive.

Tuoba Huang’s reaction was very strong. He immediately waved his hand, raising a strong gust of wind, and roared, “Lies! This is impossible!”

Ling Juejian folded his arms and sneered, “Meng Wuyan, do you take us for fools? Since Wen Ruanyu’s report, all eight of our peaks have fully investigated. We have thoroughly investigated Meng Yao Yin’s identity.”

“She is a pure rogue cultivator, with no connection to Zilei Peak’s Meng family.”

“As for your so-called irrefutable proofs, hehe, I have a question instead.”

“Why did none of the people from our other seven peaks discover any relevant clues? Yet only your Zilei Peak collected them, and there are so many pieces of evidence?”

“Hahahaha!” Tuoba Huang burst into laughter, making the air ripple in waves. “Zilei Peak is really going backward. Not only do they have a demon cultivator serving as a vice peak master, but they even came up with such a foolish idea, wanting to monopolize Baizhi Xiancheng!”

“Damn it, come up with a decent excuse! Are you trying to fool ghosts with this stuff, do you think we are all idiots?”

Before he finished speaking, he fiercely swung his massive palm, which instantly transformed into a giant magical claw, grabbing at the evidence, intending to crush it to vent his anger.

Meng Wuyan immediately retreated, a sharp glint flashing in his narrow, purple eyes. His retreat directly exposed the evidence to Tuoba Huang’s attack.

But the next moment, golden patterns flowed on Wang Yu’s fingertips, and with a gentle flick of his whisk, he parried Tuoba Huang’s giant magical claw.

“Let me see.”

Wang Yu gently beckoned, drawing all the evidence before him.

He scanned them one by one with his divine sense, finally lingering on the jade slip.

After a moment, a playful, almost pitying look of admiration appeared on his face. “Tsk tsk… Every word a cry of blood, every line steeped in emotion. The meticulous compilation and detailed verification of this ‘Meng Clan Genealogy’… Vice Peak Master Meng, you’ve truly gone to great lengths.”

A flicker of purple qi crossed Meng Wuyan’s face, then vanished. He stood tall and proud, his voice suddenly rising, imbued with a righteous solemnity: “Do fellow Daoists actually believe these are false testimonies?”

“These are absolutely true!”

“Please consider again: Meng Yao Yin was a Golden Core True Disciple of our sect, a status that cannot be faked.”

“It was precisely because of her efforts that Baizhi Xiancheng was preserved many years ago. Otherwise, Baizhi Xiancheng would have been destroyed long ago.”

“This woman not only carries the orthodox bloodline of the Meng family but is also the benefactress who rebuilt Baizhi Xiancheng! What a profound principle of righteousness that is.”

“Without her self-sacrificing protection, Baizhi City would have become a desolate ghost realm! From where would Wen Ruanyu’s achievements in education today come?”

“If we acknowledge this identity of hers, then Baizhi City’s ownership naturally includes a share for our sect, which is perfectly legitimate!”

“And Wen Ruanyu himself greatly admired Meng Yao Yin, otherwise he would not have remained in Baizhi Xiancheng for so many years. If our sect wishes to reclaim Baizhi Xiancheng and preserve Meng Yao Yin’s efforts, how could Wen Ruanyu not comply with her ‘dying wish’ and fully cooperate?”

“In this way, why do you all need to scheme and calculate, to threaten and entice?!”

Silence fell over the hall once more.

Tuoba Huang’s anger simmered like molten lava, Ling Juejian’s mocking sword qi was chilling, Wang Yu’s smiling lips, seemingly compassionate, were in fact icy. Heng Zifang lowered her head and brows, while Lu Zhenshu remained immersed in the world of his book.

On the main seat, Wei Ji’s pure black pupils reflected Meng Wuyan’s impassioned phantom, and also the expressions of those around him.

Wei Ji sighed inwardly: it indeed made sense for Zilei Peak’s Meng family to recruit a demon cultivator like Meng Wuyan to serve as a vice peak master.

Meng Wuyan’s method was more precise and clever than what everyone else had discussed.

Once Meng Yao Yin’s identity was confirmed, not only would Wen Ruanyu have no reason to resist, but the entire Baizhi Xiancheng would be brought under the grand principles of “repaying kindness” and “inheriting a dying wish,” placing it in an extremely disadvantaged position.

Duanmu Zhang, Zhong Dao, Qin De… all these troubles would not need to be touched.

“However, this method will absolutely not pass,” Wei Ji thought, as clear as a mirror.

Because, once this point was acknowledged, the Meng family would seize the greatest moral justification! Under the name of “benefactor’s kin,” the Meng family could not only smoothly meddle in, but even lead, the distribution of Baizhi Xiancheng’s benefits.

And the deceased Meng Yao Yin would become a sharp flagpole planted by the Meng family into Baizhi City!

The method was good, easier to execute than previous ones, good for Wanxiang Sect, and best for Zilei Peak’s Meng family!

But what about the other peaks?

How could Tuoba Huang, Ling Juejian, and others be content to be subordinates?

Meng Wuyan looked at Wei Ji: “Zhongzhen Peak holds the core of formations, discerning all mechanisms. Peak Master Wei Ji, please, the truth and righteousness in this matter…”

Wei Ji’s pure black eyes met Meng Wuyan’s purple pupils. His gaze remained separated by invisible glazed glass, distant and calm. He slowly opened his mouth, his voice not loud: “Zhongzhen Peak has no intention of interfering in the dispute over Baizhi Xiancheng’s interests.”

“However, the mountain protection array of this city, having endured this calamity, is less than one percent intact. Once the dust settles, its re-establishment, deployment, and maintenance are fundamental to protecting the Dao and securing the people, and shall be solely undertaken by our Zhongzhen Peak.”

As his words fell, Yunxu was silent.

The same silence, but completely different from the atmosphere Meng Wuyan had created earlier.

Tuoba Huang’s anger subsided, Ling Juejian’s cold expression softened, Wang Yu smiled and nodded…

Everyone agreed.

Wei Ji was only the Vice Peak Master of Zhongzhen Peak, but in convening this meeting of the eight peaks, he represented the Peak Master of Zhongzhen Peak, who was also the current Sect Master of Wanxiang Sect.

And everyone present was already familiar with the Sect Master’s style of action.

Zhongzhen Peak’s Peak Master Dong Chen disliked directly participating in the tearing apart and division of interests; he preferred to remain aloof and neutral, stabilizing the fundamental situation.

Wei Ji’s meaning was Dong Chen’s meaning: how you dispute Baizhi Xiancheng’s profits, I don’t care. But the entire Baizhi Xiancheng must belong to me.

He wanted to replace Baizhi Xiancheng’s city protection array, which meant truly taking control of this immortal city.

Meng Wuyan’s purple eyes flickered, finally taking a step back and saying nothing more.

Seeing that the general situation was settled, Wei Ji retracted his gaze and spoke again.

His voice echoed in the vast Yunxu: “Summon Zhong Dao, Hall Master of Zhuxie Hall, to join the discussion within the formation!”

Zhong Dao’s divine sense clasped the array, the boundary wall glowed, and qi condensed, quickly forming a cloud avatar.

Zhong Dao (avatar) slowly opened his eyes and descended before the crowd.

He appeared middle-aged, with deep vertical lines on his brow from years of constant furrowing. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, filled with undisguised scrutiny and judgment, making it difficult to meet his eyes directly.

His nose bridge was high and prominent like a peak, his lips were straight and taut, and his jawline was strong.

He was tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and back, standing as straight as a green pine. After arriving before the crowd, he took a few steps forward; his gait was steady and powerful, each step imbued with undeniable authority and determination.

He possessed an intimidating presence without needing to show anger, giving off an impression of extreme reliability, extreme rigidity, yet also extreme stubbornness and inflexibility.

“Why have you summoned me?” Zhong Dao looked across at the seven people in the hall.

His combat power, cultivation, and age all surpassed the seven present, only his status as Hall Master of Zhuxie Hall being slightly inferior.

No one spoke.

Ling Juejian’s expression was calm, and he nodded slightly to Zhong Dao. Tuoba Huang frowned slightly, staring at Zhong Dao with a wary expression.

Wei Ji coughed once and briefly summarized the results of their previous discussion.

“Baizhi City? Yinshan Heizhao?”

After listening to Wei Ji’s account, Zhong Dao understood what had happened.

“Heh.” He chuckled softly. “You called me here for something like this?”

“As Hall Master of Zhuxie Hall, the matters I discuss should be about purifying the cosmos and clearing away evil influences, not about squabbling over petty gains and weighing private interests.”

His face was solemn, and his sharp gaze swept around. “Wen Ruanyu, Duanmu Zhang? Fellow disciples, one should interact with righteousness and treat with sincerity. How can they be used as bargaining chips?”

“As for Qin De, he is a wicked demon prisoner, locked in a dungeon, awaiting heaven’s wrath and earth’s destruction. How can he instead be made a pawn on a chessboard?”

“What were you thinking? This is utterly preposterous!”

Anger flared on his face, and he took a large step forward, his tone suddenly rising: “The prestige of my Wanxiang Sect is built upon brilliant righteous Dharma, upon vast and mighty spirit! It is built upon the iron shoulders of generations of sages bearing the Dao, upon the loyal and passionate hearts of thousands of devoted heroes! It cannot be stolen by deceit, nor tainted by private interests!”

“You want me to cooperate with you?!”

The Hall Master of Zhuxie Hall glared, retorting to everyone, his rage surging, as if ready to fight if they disagreed.

Wei Ji sighed bitterly, “Lord Zhong Dao, please calm your anger. Baizhi Xiancheng is in a sensitive location with immense interests; even a slight mishap could implicate the entire sect.”

“Our sect’s disciples, Meng Yao Yin, Wen Ruanyu, and others, have all walked the righteous path and have not disgraced our sect’s prestige and uprightness. But precisely because of this, our sect is also implicated and must handle it properly.”

Zhong Dao snorted coldly, his sharp gaze having long seen through the hypocrisy of those present.

He immediately cupped his fists and said, “To rectify the name of Baizhi, one must lead a grand and righteous army. I request Zhuxie Hall to open the way with blood, and to dispatch the elite troops of three peaks to follow. This Hall Master will personally wield the execution cauldron, break Yinshan, and plow Heizhao. All arch-demons with clear evidence of crimes, all evil leaders whose wickedness is full, shall be bound before the city gates of Baizhi Xiancheng, openly executed, and their heads displayed to the public!”

“Acting in this manner is the magnificent and righteous path, and it also brings immense profit!”

“Firstly, it proclaims to heaven and earth that righteousness and evil cannot coexist!”

“Secondly, it deters evil demons, showing that karmic debts must eventually be paid!”

“Thirdly, it informs the tens of thousands of people in the city that the orthodox Immortal Dao is not just about lofty talks, but also possesses the iron fist to purge demons and protect the Dao, thereby settling the people’s hearts.”

“Fourthly, our efforts to clear away demonic influences and purify the realm are an unparalleled benevolence! Executing heavenly punishment and upholding righteous laws are an unmatched display of might! With such combined grace and power, taking charge of Baizhi Xiancheng will ensure no worries in the future.”

The others were dumbfounded.

Looking at Zhong Dao, who was filled with murderous intent and utterly irreconcilable with evil demons, they suddenly realized and remembered the experiences and character of this powerful sect member.

Including Wei Ji, everyone felt a bit of regret: “How could we have been so foolish as to summon Zhong Dao for discussion? Given his nature of hating evil as much as he does, he is bound to have strong personal opinions.”

Thus, everyone exchanged glances, communicating through their divine senses.

“Zhong Dao and Duanmu Zhang are probably the most stubborn and unyielding individuals in the entire sect. Alas, how did Baizhi Xiancheng’s matter involve both of them?”

Everyone felt an immense headache. Meng Wuyan, on the other hand, had a slight curl to his lips, watching the show unfold.

At the same time.

In a certain hall of Zhuxie Hall, Ning Zhuo was undergoing the Xingyun Small Trial within the formation space.

On the stone platform, Ning Zhuo, his hand on the brightly hanging official plaque, faced an elder cultivator’s question: If a captured demon leader begs for mercy, promises great benefits, or offers his useful body to serve as a vanguard, how should he be dealt with?

The elder cultivator’s methods could detect sincere answers, but he did not expect to trigger the Demon Heart Seal of my Buddha in Ning Zhuo’s spiritual sea dantian.

The treasure seal emitted demonic light, providing Ning Zhuo with a huge scope for improvisation.

Ning Zhuo’s thoughts raced like lightning, but he first recalled information about Zhong Dao.

The next moment, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, his eyes unwavering, and his voice like the clang of metal, cold and clear: “Eliminate evil thoroughly, show no mercy!”

“To let them linger would only invite disaster and pollute the righteous qi of heaven and earth. When to cut, cut. When to execute, execute! The heads of demons have only one use: to be hung on a high pole, displayed to warn others! To make all evil spirits under heaven tremble at the sight!”

As he spoke, an invisible, chilling aura of slaughter permeated the air, as if the clang of weapons resonated.

On the stone platform, the many high-ranking cultivators of Zhuxie Hall listened, their eyes gleaming.

The elder cultivator’s admiration for Ning Zhuo grew even stronger, and he praised inwardly, “Good, good for being so thorough in eliminating evil. Truly a good seed for our righteous path.”

The cultivators were unaware that within the Wanli Youlong coiled around Ning Zhuo’s waist, Lady Panshi, who should have been “thoroughly eliminated,” was grunting and groaning, building a formation for Ning Zhuo.